These scars
by dream2bawrtr
Summary: Eight months earlier, Christian saved his best friend and fiance from the wildfire. However, when he went back to grab his most precious painting, the second floor collapsed, and he was trapped. This is an A/U fic.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own FSOG**

* * *

**Note: Don't worry, I will update 'What am I to you?' this Friday. ;)**

**This is just a something, something... Lol. This little 2-shot is set in an alternate universe. (A/U)**

_**(Eight months earlier, Christian saved his best friend and ex-fiance from the wildfire. However, when he went back to grab his most precious painting, the second floor collapsed, and he was trapped)**_

_**In this fic, Christian is a burn victim of the wildfires.**_

* * *

**x**

**These scars**

...

* * *

.

Ana had asked Christian the question he dreaded the most, since he returned from the rehabilitation clinic." Why don't you want to see Kate?"

Those words sent a gnawing pain through his heart, a pain that had consumed him, both during waking hours and in his dreams. While he was in the clinic, Kate was the one person he held onto. She was what had kept him alive... she was the one who had given him strength.

He waited all those months for her to come and see him... However, she never came.

His best friend Jack, did visit him, once. And after that, only his sister, parents and brother went to visit him at the rehab center.

It hurt him a lot, discovering that the ones he thought who had his back, were the ones who dropped him like a brick, the moment things got difficult.

Well, during those months, Christian found out _WHO _his ex-fiance really was. It was then, when he realized she didn't love him enough.

When Christian returned home, it was finally clear to him why Kate didn't visit him, not even once... she had moved on— yup, she moved on with his best friend.

It was hard enough to come back home with a face that ugly and scarred. But like always, fate had been cruel to him, as he found out that Kate and his 'best friend' were lovers.

Well, that's why Christian decided to sever his relationship with the two. How could he win her heart again if he looked the way he did now? Christian had an idea how Kate would react if she would see him. Yes, she would totally freak out if she saw how his appearance had changed.

So, to protect himself from all the heartache, he kept refusing to see either one of them.

As Ana waited for Christian to answer her question, she saw all kinds of emotions being displayed on his face. Her heart bled, as she saw him in pain. 'He still loves Kate,' she thought.

She and Christian were colleagues, and friends. They met in college and kept in touch, and both were surprised when they met years later, when Ana applied for the COO position at his company.

Well, of course he hired Ana; she had a brilliant mind.

"You still love her, don't you?" Ana asked, her voice almost a whisper.

To her, it was heartbreaking to see her friend hurting so much. So, Ana instinctively closed the gap between them in three steps and pulled him into a hug, while his eyes fell shut involuntarily.

As her eyes watered and the tears spilled, she held onto Christian tightly. The arms he felt around him made him feel so vulnerable and, still, those same arms made him feel like he could overcome anything. At one point, he felt that his shirt had gotten wet from her tears. Her face was still in the crook of his neck, as a soft sob escaped her lips.

"Ana?" he said, as his eyes fluttered open.

"Yes?" she replied, her voice a little muffled.

"Look at me, please?"

Ana locked eyes with him, blue meeting gray, and said." Yes, Christian..."

"Why are you crying?"

She sniffled and shook her head. "I just can't stand it, when someone I care about is hurting."

He nodded, and attempted to smile. "It's OK, Ana... I can take it." he promised." You don't have to spill your tears for me. I'll be alright."

Ana sighed deeply, her eyes fluttering shut for a few moments." Will you agree to a meeting with Kate?" she asked carefully, afraid that he would shut her out.

He shook his head in response." I don't know if I can. I can take the punishment, I can take the pain, but I'm not so sure if I can see her just yet." he confessed, his voice trembling slightly, while a huge lump formed in his throat." I haven't been faithful to her, Ana... While I dated Kate, I cheated on her once. So, maybe this is Karma giving me payback. I'm pretty sure I deserve it,"

"Don't say that! No one deserves to feel the pain you're feeling!" Ana exclaimed, as she cupped his face gently.

He shook his head, his hands clenching into fists." How can you care about me, Ana?" he barked." Look at me! I have this ugly face..."

In response, Ana threw him a deadly glare. "Christian Grey, you are _not_ ugly! Get that through your thick head, will you?! You are NOT ugly."

"I can't see Kate, Ana... I… I just _can't_. What if she can't see pass this?" he questioned, referring to his burned face.

Ana smiled, while placing a hand on his chest and the other carefully on his cheek." She will… she will be able to look pass the surface, believe me."

As Ana looked at him with hopeful eyes, he nodded and decided at that moment to take a chance and meet Kate.

_._

_._

**_~ That evening ~_**

.

Kate was in her office, busy finishing up on a case she had been working on, when she heard a knock on the door. With a file in hand, she walked towards the door and opened it. Kate came face to face with a man whose face was burned, the scars were the evidence.

She was startled, and yelped aloud.

"Kate" she heard the man say.

She cleared her throat and asked with a trembling voice."Can I help you with something, mister?"

"Aren't you gonna let me in, Kate?" Christian asked, while his heart rammed against his rib-cage.

It was then, when she recognized his voice. She looked at him in disbelief, her mouth open slightly. "Christian_?_ Christian, is that really you?" she asked, absolutely shocked.

"Yes, it's me." he pointed out, while observing her." Aren't you gonna invite me in?"

Kate was afraid of his appearance—that was a fact. He almost sunk to the floor, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks.

The woman that he loved was afraid of him...

"Of course. Come in," she countered, her voice shaky, while doing her best to act normal around him.

He stepped inside and followed her. She nervously looked at him and asked, "Do you want a drink?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm good."

"I need one, so why don't you take a seat, while I grab a beer," she said and hastily walked in the direction of the small fridge in her office.

He took a seat in a chair and waited. After a few minutes, she came back with a beer in her hand and took a seat. "So… uhum, how are you, Christian?" she asked, as she avoided his gaze by studying the beer bottle.

"I'm doing fine. How are you?" he asked softly.

He tried to make eye contact, but wasn't able to, because Kate deliberately avoided his gaze.

"Kate?" he asked.

"Yes?" she replied, still avoiding his gaze.

"Look at me," he demanded.

She cleared her throat in response, and finally looked him straight in the eyes. "Yes?"

He let out a deep breath and shook his head. He then stood up and looked down at her. "I don't know why you insisted on seeing me. You asked Ana to meet with me and now that I'm here, you avoid looking at me like I'm some kind of disease." he said, the pain in his voice evident and clear." I know that I don't look like befo…" he said, but stopped mid sentence, as he felt an unbearable pain shoot right through his heart.

"Christian… I uhumm…" was all she managed to say.

Kate wanted to meet up with him to apologize for her absence during his recovery, AND most importantly to apologize for hurting him by moving on with his best friend.

Yes, that was the reason why she wanted to see him, but the words were stuck in her throat...

He was so disappointed, and shook his head. "It's OK, Kate..." he told her, while tears pooled in his eyes." Ana was wrong, though. I don't think you'll ever be able to see pass these scars..."

In response, Kate abruptly stood up, but he had enough! "Don't bother, Kate... You're even more beautiful than I remembered, but I guess you and Jack really deserve each other..."

After saying that, he walked out the door without even looking back once.

* * *

**Note: Thank you for reading, you all.**

**Like it? If yes, then tell me.**

**J**


	2. What do you want, Ana?

**I do not own FSOG**

**.. 💖💖**

* * *

**x**

**What do you want, Ana?**

...

* * *

.

Ana was drinking her 5th cup of coffee of the day, because of all the stress at work.

Why? Well, it's been three days since Christian, their CEO, hadn't come into the office.

During the months, when he was still recovering from his injuries, she had temporarily taken over for him. She was the one who kept Christian's empire from falling apart. And when he decided a month ago to return to work, no one was more excited about it than her. She had been grateful, and so relieved that she would be able to share the responsibilities with him, once again.

Well, that happiness was short-lived...

No one had seen or heard from Christian for three days. Not his parents, his siblings or his employees. Not even his tail, meaning Taylor.

Christian probably had gotten rid of his phone too, because he didn't answer it. He hadn't for three days.

Fuck!

"Where could he be?" she muttered under her breath, after having to postpone an important meeting with a high- profile client.

This particular client wanted to do business _only_ with Christian.

After the call with the client, named Elena Lincoln, Ana racked her brain, trying to figure out where her boss could be. It was then, when she heard her phone ring.

Without a thought, she grabbed it and when she read the name on the display, she immediately answered it.

"Taylor, tell me that you've found our employer"

"Miss, Steele. Yes, We discovered where he is" Taylor told her.

"So, why don't you go and get him then?"

"Uhmmm... I've tried, Miss. But, Mr. Grey gave us explicit instructions" she heard Taylor say." He does _not_ wanna go home, and I mustn't tell anyone where he is right now..."

"Seriously?!" Ana shouted into the phone, and clenched her left hand into a fist." Well, tell him if he doesn't come back ASAP, I will resign!"

Taylor knew that Ana meant it; she has kept Christian's empire afloat for more than six months now. He had seen firsthand that all the work stress had taken its toll on Ana.

Right now, she really needed Christian to help her with the company.

"Taylor, you still there?" he heard Ana say, her tone annoyed.

"Yes... yes, Miss Steele" he replied." I'm sorry, but he won't listen to me. I have a favor to ask of you though"

"I'm listening" she said.

"Can _YOU_ maybe go and convince _him_ to come back home?"

.

.

.

Yup, that happened four and a half hours ago, and so here Ana was on her way to the address that Taylor had texted to her.

It was late, and during the drive she heard a rumble of thunder. So, she stepped onto the gas pedal" Rain, please don't fall from the sky yet. Please let me reach the address first," she whispered.

Her prayer wasn't answered though, because it was pouring, as her car screeched to a halt in front of Christian's many houses.

"Aaargh! What now?!" she exclaimed, and wondered what she should do.

Wait? Or just make a run for it?

Ana waited ten minutes, but then got impatient and decided to just go for it. It kept pouring and pouring, so she grabbed her purse and opened the car door.

"Well, here goes nothing," she said and ran towards the large door of the house.

As she arrived at the porch, a shiver went down her spine. It was cold and she was completely soaked.

Shit!

Ana then opened the door, it was unlocked, and looked around the place.

Wow... it was huge. After searching the first floor without success, she decided to look for him upstairs.

The moment she had opened the door of the first bedroom, Ana saw Christian lying on the floor. Empty bottles of alcohol littered the floor, showing that he had been drinking.

"Crap!" she said aloud, wondering what had happened to him that he had to drink this excessively.

"Christian," she whispered, but he was in a deep slumber.

As she knelt next to him, she lightly grabbed his upper arm to try to wake him up. Apparently Ana wasn't gentle enough, because he woke up startled and swiftly grabbed and pinned her onto the rug in one swift motion. In response, Ana yelped loudly.

And when Christian realized that it was Ana, he looked her in the eyes and said, "What the fuck are you doing here, Ana?!"

She closed her eyes for several seconds, as she tried to form coherent sentences. The feel of his warm body pressed against hers, and his hot breath made her a bit dizzy. He was still holding her hands above her head, while glaring angrily at her. Even though he was drunk and she was a little scared, she felt a violent shiver up and down her spine. Ana just couldn't help it... To her, he looked so hot at the moment, even while he threw a deadly glare at her.

'What! Hot? Christian—_hot?_' she thought as she shook her head, not understanding why she was having these perverted thoughts.

"Christian? Where were you? Everyone's been looking for you, do you know that?" she said, her voice shaky.

He did as if he didn't hear her, and kept looking her in the eyes, while still pinning Ana to the floor.

So, she continued with her 'interrogation'. "Christian, where were you? We are all worried sick about you," Ana tried again.

But still, he didn't react and kept his hands locked onto hers.

"Christian Grey, answer me and let _go __of __me__!_" she ordered, her voice trembling noticeably.

"You were wrong, Ana" he finally replied, his voice gruff." Kate kept staring at my face—she couldn't see _me!_ All she saw were my scars... You were wrong!"

In response, Ana gulped aloud and asked, "You met with her? With Kate?"

Christian still had his eyes locked onto hers and said, "Yes, I went to see Kate, and you know what happened? She looked at me like I was some kind of freak of nature!"

Ana's heart bled, as she heard those words. "I'm so sorry, Christian..."

He avoided her gaze and hissed, "I do _not_ want your pity, Miss Steele."

"It's not pity!" she exclaimed.

Ana was about to give him a piece of her mind, but then she felt how cold it was, shivering as she realized that she was soaking wet. "Let go off me, Christian. I'm soaking wet," She managed to say.

Instead of letting her go, he looked down, and let his eyes rake over her.

He wasn't sure why he was doing it... cause he never allowed himself to see Ana in that manner. As a beautiful, desirable woman. However, right now he just couldn't help himself... He was fucking DRUNK, that's why! That's the reason why he was unable to control his emotions.

"Christian, what are you doing?" Ana whispered, as she noticed how he looked at her in an unfamiliar manner.

Well, she would be lying if she said that she wasn't feeling aroused by Christian's gaze.

He kept admiring her without saying a word, and noticed that she was wearing a white blouse. And that she was all wet. So, as his eyes landed on her chest, he saw that she was wearing a red bra.

Ana's body tingled, as she noticed him stare at her, his eyes betraying his desire. 'What? No! We're friends! He doesn't look at me that way!' she thought.

It was like he could read her mind, because he shook his head in response, and attempted to put a halt to his indecent thoughts.

Christian was drunk, and fortunately, he still managed to clear his head and finally let go of her.

He then immediately got up, and strode towards the bathroom to freshen himself up.

As her heart hammered against her rib-cage, Ana walked towards the cabinet to grab a towel. Her knees were shaky, as she attempted to stay on her feet, drying herself off.

After a few minutes, he walked out the bathroom and locked eyes with her. "I'm sorry about what I just did" he said.

"Uhmmm... it's fine." She replied, and cleared her throat." Let's just get you home"

In response, he shook his head fiercely." I'm not going anywhere"

"Seriously?!" she shouted, and poked him on his chest." I CANNOT run _YOUR_ company by myself, Christian..."

"Do what you want" he barked at her." I don't give a fuck"

Ana laughed a hysterical laugh, and clenched her hands into fists." If you don't come back home, I _will_ resign"

"Go ahead" he remarked, and walked over to the small fridge to grab a beer.

Aaargh! Ana grunted aloud, and took the beer bottle from him.

"Give it back now" he demanded.

"Well, I'm NOT your employee anymore. So, you cannot boss me around, Christian"

He had no intention of arguing with Ana, so he walked over to the fridge and grabbed another beer." Leave, Ana... I need to be alone," he ordered.

"Unbelievable!" she shouted, while feeling her anger rise." Here we are, worried sick about you, your empire about to fall apart, and what do you say to me? Hmmm? I have to leave? You're a real piece of work, you know that!"

"I'm not gonna warn you again, Ana... Leave, please," He said, his voice trembling.

"No. I know that you expected more from Ka…" she began, but he cut her off.

"Don't talk about her," he spat. "Leave, Ana. I don't need your pity," Christian said, as he invaded her personal space.

He walked towards her with a threatening look on his face, making her walk backwards, and Ana came to a halt, as her back hit the wall. Christian was towering over her, as he said, "Leave, right. _now_."

In response, she stubbornly shook her head. "I'm not gonna leave you in this state. You're drunk!" she exclaimed, while her mind went to the gutter.

Why did her eyes land on his lips? She shook her head and sighed deeply. "Don't stand so close to me," she said, her voice squeaky and shaky.

He still had his piercing gray eyes locked onto hers and inhaled her scent. 'God! She smells so good. She always does,' he thought.

"D-don't stand so close to me" Ana managed to repeat her words, her voice shaky.

"Are you sure? Do you really want me to take a step back, Ana?" he asked, his voice deeper than usual, while standing in her face.

He noticed how she was reacting to his actions and he, in his drunken state, liked it very much. 'God, I should stop this!' was what went through his mind, but he couldn't help himself, even if he tried.

"Yeah… yes, I am sure that I want you to give me some space…" she stammered, her heart beating wildly, while feeling so fucking aroused right now.

Christian's eyes fell shut, as he decided to stop trapping her against the wall. He didn't want to do anything he'd regret, as soon as he was sober. So, even though he was angry at the moment, he knew that he still needed her as a friend. So, he turned around and walked away from her.

"What do you want, Ana? Just go, OK?" he said softly.

Ana closed the gap between them and stood two steps away from him. "What happened at Kate's place? What did she say?" she carefully asked.

In response, he shut his eyes for a few seconds, and while a tear escaped his eye, he warned her, "Ana, if you know what's good for you, you will leave right _now_."

She shook her head though. "No! I'm staying! And don't try to change my mind. It won't work," she stated with determination in her voice.

This time, he walked over to her like a predator towards its prey. Christian stood in front of her in a blink of an eye, and towered over her. She immediately jumped up, her heart beating wildly against her rib-cage.

"What… what are you doing, Christian?" she stuttered.

"I said: _g__o home_," he growled.

Ana was afraid, but still she didn't make a move to leave. He had enough of her stubbornness and kept walking towards her, so once again she walked backwards till she hit the wall with her back. She closed her eyes, feeling his hot breath on her face.

"Go home," he ordered. His voice very low, making chills go up and down her spine. God, how was he able to do this to her body with just a few words?!

Ana wanted nothing more than to grab his face and kiss him senseless!

But instead, she shook that thought off. "N-nooo… you need me," she whispered,and even though she was a bit afraid, she kept standing in her spot.

(She wasn't afraid of him... she was afraid of what she wanted to do to him)

"Don't make me do something I'll regret, Ana..." he threatened.

But she looked him straight in the eyes. "N-n-noo..." she managed to say. "You will not harm me…" she whispered, her voice very shaky. "You care about me. We've been friends for years now. And I know for a _fact_ that you will _never__, __ever_ hurt me, Christian. So stop with the façade and let's talk about Kate..."

Even as she spoke, she could feel herself trembling lightly, her heart hammering inside her chest.

"Get the hell out of here," he warned again." Now"

"_No._"

His face was so close to hers that she could feel his warm breath.

"I'm ugly. I look like a freak. That's why Kate is afraid of me." he pointed out." Or she's just ashamed of me. Women are so fucking unpredictable,"

Ana disagreed." You are _not _ugly. And I don't think you look like a freak, Christian." she said softly, in such a convincing manner." You're a good guy. If she doesn't want you in her life, then that's her loss. But, you have your flaws-we all know that. Like you told me before, you haven't been faithful to her, but I know that you are trying now... trying to be a better person. I think you're a great guy, just stay true to yourself, OK?"

And then she touched his face gently.

An unexpected tingle went through her body, as she caressed his face. She smiled at him, while her fingers traced the scars on his cheek, and he held in his breath. As she boldly cupped his face, she stared into his gorgeous eyes intensely. Her fingers slowly traced the scars on his other cheek, her fingers trembling, and she whimpered softly. The sound that escaped her lips was not loud, but Christian heard it very clearly. At that, he closed his eyes, while reveling at her soft caress.

'No, no. She's my friend. I can't go there,' he thought, mentally slapping himself.

At the same time, Ana was thinking, 'Anastasia Steele, you will _not _even think of going there! He's vulnerable right now. You would be taking advantage of him. _And_… he is your friend!'

They both felt a thick tension in the air, as Ana still stood with her back against the wall. Christian's presence was trapping her, towering over her so close...

It seemed like time stood still...

In that very moment, the pain he felt was forgotten. And everything else faded before the both of them...

In a flash, he grabbed her by the face, and waited for permission. Ana was so lost in those eyes, and all she wanted right now was to feel MORE of him.

Just the thought, made her most delicate spot warm and GOD... she wanted him right now.

So, she nodded. Well, that's all he needed... permission from her.

He grabbed her by her hips, and swiftly picked her up. She gasped aloud, as she felt him push her up against the wall, and then she gladly wrapped her legs around his waist.

Their eyes were locked on each other, and then he crashed his lips onto hers, making her moan loudly, while she held onto him.

Their kiss was brutal and gentle at the same time, and it was then, when Christian felt so fucking alive again...

It was her... she was the reason... Ana...

Their tongues were tangled, and then she pulled away from the kiss for a second. Her chest heaved dangerously, and when she looked at him, she whispered." Is it wrong that I want you right now?"

His chest was heaving also, and he shook his head in response." No, Ana... it isn't wrong..." he told her." I want you too"

But all of a sudden, they both heard the door of the house open and close.

"Aarggh!" Ana made the sound, and sighed deeply." "That must be Taylor"

* * *

_**Note: Thank you so much for reading my work, and the feedback, you all.**_

**You are awesome. **❤❤❤😍😉😘

**Till the next one?**

**J**


	3. We need to talk

I do not own FSOG

.. 💖💖

* * *

**x**

**We need to talk**

**...**

* * *

.

It was very late, when Ana finally arrived at her apartment. As soon as she locked the front door, she kicked off her shoes, and plopped down on her couch.

"Christian Grey" she uttered, and placed a cushion over her face.

She so wanted to clobber herself!

Crap! Aarghhh! Why did she let herself lose control like that?

Fuck! "He's your BOSS, Ana!" she groaned, and walked towards her bedroom.

As she looked out of her window, Ana felt so uneasy.

She went to school with him, and never did it cross her mind to be romantically involved with him. They've been class mates at university. But never did they cross that invisible line that the both of them had drawn years ago.

That was good... great even. Especially, him being the CEO and she being the COO of Christian's company.

They've been friends for years, and never did she feel attracted to him.

Why now? What has changed?

Was it because of Kate? Or because of how lonely she has been feeling lately?

Ana was a workaholic, and hasn't been dating for more than a year. Was that the reason why she wanted Christian, when she was alone with him in that house?

Just the thought of his hands on her, made her body tingle all over... Again.

"OK, I seriously NEED that cold shower now!" she said, and practically ran towards her bathroom.

.

.

The next morning, Ana arrived early at work. She was glad that she had a lot of work to finish, and also her day was full of meetings with clients. This way, she wouldn't have the time to think of what had happened the evening before.

Yup, it stressed her out what almost happened between her and Christian... he was her boss and most importantly, her friend.

"Well, I'm so gonna make sure that won't ever happen again" She mumbled at one point, and went on typing away on her laptop.

It was around 5 in the afternoon, when she heard a soft knock on her office door.

"Come in..." She said without looking who it was." I only have five minutes to spare, Janine... let me sign those papers now"

It was then, when she heard him clear his throat." I'm sorry to disturb you, Ana..."

She froze, and looked up." Hey, Christian..." she uttered, and smiled nervously at him." I have a meeting at 6 with Barnes... I've got to go right now... I don't wanna be late"

She then stood up, grabbed her phone and handbag.

"I just need a minute?" Christian insisted." Please, we need to talk about last night"

He gave Ana a pleading look, but she was persistent." I'm gonna be late... can we talk tomorrow?" She asked, while her cheeks turned beet red.

"Well, I..." he started, but it was then when Janine, their employee walked in.

"Sorry, I need Miss Steele to sign these"

"Come on now... I'll do it right away" Ana said, and signed the papers." Here you go..."

"Thank you" Janine replied and hastily walked out the office.

Ana then walked towards him." You know how Mr. Barnes is... he's old and impatient, I really need to go now, Christian"

He let out a deep breath, and nodded." Alright... go then" Christian said." Will you give me a call later... you know, to tell me how the meeting went?"

"Of course" Ana said, and hastily walked passed him.

Christian inhaled her wonderful scent, as she did, his eyes falling shut. The memory of the evening before, the two of them together, made him feel so warm and fuzzy inside.

When she reached the elevator, Ana looked back at him...

All he wanted to do at that moment was to call out to her and demand that she stayed! However, he knew he had to let her go...

For now.

She was his employee, and what had happened the evening before should _never_ happen again.

Her friendship meant too much to him... Ana was his constant. The only one who had the power to get through to him in his time of need.

So, he didn't want to jeopardize their friendship.

Tomorrow... tomorrow he would talk to her and tell her that it was a mistake. He shouldn't have kissed her like that.

But the thing is... could he? Could he forget how she made him feel?!

He had scars all over his body... his arms, chest and face.

And yet, last evening, when he held Ana in his arms, she had looked at him like he still was that handsome man from before the fire.

Could he act as if they didn't connect on a whole other level? Could he pretend that they were just colleagues and friends?

Could he?

.

.

It was 8:13 PM, when Ana shook hands with the client.

"Thank you, Miss Steele... love doing business with you" the old man said.

Ana smiled widely in response." Likewise, sir."

She then grabbed her belongings and walked towards the exit. Ana didn't live too far away from the restaurant and decided to walk to her apartment.

Her mind drifted off to him, while walking home.

Christian Grey.

She racked her brain, trying to understand how the relationship with him shifted so drastically. He was a good employer, and a good friend.

Then why did she feel so warm and fuzzy inside, while thinking about him? When did things change?

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't answer those questions.

Ana reached her apartment in record time. She quickly undressed, and took a warm shower. All the while trying to think of something else other than her boss.

She was just about to jump in bed, when she heard her phone buzz.

"Arghh! Who could it be?" She muttered under her breath.

Ana was exhausted, and right now only craved to be left alone so she could have her much needed rest.

As she read the text message, she almost had a heart attack.

_Christian: - Can I come in? We really need to talk, Ana. This cannot wait._

"What?! He's here! At my door?!" She uttered, while her heart sped up, as if it wanted to jump out of her chest." God, please let me stay in control."

All kinds of emotions washed over her right now.

_Ana: - OK, give me a minute._

She then threw a quick glance at her reflection in the mirror." Crap! I look like shit" She mumbled, and walked towards the front door.

Ana took a deep breath, and then swung the door open. The moment their eyes locked onto each other, all her doubts evaporated into thin air. He gave her a look that made her heart swell. And right then and there, it finally dawned on her that she had fallen in love with him without realizing it.

'Oh no'

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading.**

**Hope you liked it.**

**Till the next one.**

**J**


	4. You saved me

**I do not own Fifty Shades Trilogy**

.. 💖💖

* * *

**x**

**You saved me**

...

* * *

**_And right then and there, it finally dawned on her that she had fallen in love with him without realizing it._**

**_'Oh no'_**

"Hi, Ana..." Christian said.

"Christian... hi. What's so important?" Ana noticed the bottle of wine in his hand." Is that for me?"

He nodded in response." Yes, it's for you" he replied, and handed her the bottle of wine.

She cleared her throat, and wondered since when did things become so awkward between the two of them." What did I do to deserve this?"

"I'm so, so sorry, Ana" he confessed.

"For?"

He let out a deep breath, but didn't answer her right away. Christian kept his eyes locked onto hers, and asked." Can I come in, please?"

"Yeah, of course" she replied, and they both walked inside.

Just the thought of him following her to the couch, made her feel so on edge and excited at the same time.

No other man has ever made her feel this way... not a one.

If it were someone else, she would've kicked that person out, because she was beyond exhausted from the day, and craved nothing more than to go to bed right now. Earlier, she had planned on sleeping for at least _ten_ hours or so. However, this wasn't just anyone... this was Christian and she never could say no to him.

As they took a seat, he kept watching Ana.

She was wearing blue pajamas... so cute.

'WAIT... What? He thought that she was cute?! STOP IT, GREY... She is your FRIEND. You've come here to apologize for your actions. Nothing more. Got it?!

"Christian?" she said, bringing him out of his thoughts." What are you sorry for exactly?"

He took a deep breath, and grabbed Ana's hand gently." Last night, I wasn't myself." he began, and gave her an apologetic look." I'm so grateful that you talked some sense into me... I shouldn't have abandoned you and the company like that."

As a sigh escaped her lips, Ana felt so relieved." So... that means you will never abandon us again?"

"I promise..." he declared, and smiled at her, his gray eyes sparkling like stars." You are my COO, and you didn't deserve how I acted towards you... most importantly, you are MY friend... the one who always has my back"

As those words reached her ears, tears automatically began to pool in her eyes." You have my back too, since university, remember?" she pointed out.

He nodded in response, and squeezed her hand tightly." How can I forget?"

She sighed in response." That evening, when you kicked Joe Allen's ass at the party, because he almost harmed me, you became my hero."

Tears rolled down Ana's cheeks, when she realized that she probably had fallen for him since then. However, Christian was already in a relationship with Kate... that's why she never allowed herself to feel MORE...

She had built a cage around her heart, and wasn't able to let anyone in. After graduating from university, she worked her ass off and didn't let anyone or anything distract her. That's how she became COO at such a young age.

"Really?" Christian asked, while tears also pooled in his eyes." Your hero... Seriously?"

Ana nodded in response." Yes... my hero" she replied, as she began to cry, her body shaking from her sobs.

He pulled her into a tight embrace, and held her close." It's OK... everything's fine now." he whispered, and gently caressed her hair." He is never going to hurt you again, Ana..."

After her sobs ended, she pulled back from the hug, and locked eyes with Christian again." You saved me that evening..."

Christian shook his head in response." I'm sooo sorry, Ana... about last night." he confessed, his voice shaky." I shouldn't have treated you like that... I shouldn't have kissed you in that forceful manner... I'm so sorry, can you ever forgive me?"

The look on his face was so heartbreaking... Ana touched his face softly, while tears pooled in her eyes." Yes, of course I forgive you, if you need to be forgiven..." she whispered, her voice so soft, while giving him a loving look." However, I remember exactly how that kiss happened, Christian. You didn't force me to kiss you... I remember it clearly like it happened just minutes ago... I gave you permission; so don't feel guilty"

As those words reached his ears, Christian felt so relieved. He smiled, and kissed her hand gently." I'll make it up to you" he declared." From now on, I won't be so selfish, when it comes to you..."

Ana smiled in response." There he is, the man I've known since college." She said, and felt happy and sad at the same time.

Why? Because it was clear that he did not have romantic feelings for her.

"So... what were you up to? Wanna watch a movie?" he asked.

"Fine by me... I'm gonna grab the glasses..." She replied, and walked towards the kitchen, acting like she wasn't hurting at all.

Her heart ached tremendously, and yet the voice inside her head kept telling her to confess her love for Christian. However, she was too scared... at the moment she was 100 % sure that she couldn't handle rejection from the man she loved.

Little did she know that Christian ALSO had romantic feelings for her, but decided not to act on it... _**yet**_.

.

.

.

A few minutes later, Ana was sitting next to Christian on her comfortable couch, drinking the red wine he had brought for her.

"Hmmm. This wine is really good." She pointed out, and observed her glass.

He smiled, as he watched Ana enjoy the red wine.

"I know, right?" he replied, while turning his head to the TV.

While Christian watched TV with Ana, he couldn't help but smile during the whole movie. The reason? Well, she was wearing blue pajamas with bunny print— a lot of bunnies! He thought that she looked really cute in them.

"Go get him, Cameron Poe!" Ana all of a sudden shouted, making him jump up slightly.

She was really into the movie.

"You like this movie. Don't you, Ana?" he asked, his brows furrowed.

She nodded in response, while placing a hand on his upper arm, her eyes still plastered on the TV screen." Shhhh…. "She shushed him.

It was no use attempting to have a conversation with her now, so he decided to let it go. As he sat next to Ana in her living room, he felt a sudden calmness taking over him. He felt very comfortable being next to her and it felt so different compared to sitting on his own couch at his mansion.

Christian sat quietly next to Ana, and wanted so badly to tell her how he felt about her. However, he decided to take it one day at a time.

She meant the world to him, and wanted to take his precious time with her.

Ana... sweet, amazing Ana.

At one point Christian was taken out of his thoughts, because she all of a sudden began to shout at the TV again. The villain was getting away!

"Anastasia..." He said, and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, sorry Christian." She apologized, her eyes still locked on the TV screen.

He chuckled at that, and took a swig from his glass." Hey, how did the meeting with Mr. Barnes go?"

At hearing that, she finally tore her eyes away from the TV and looked at Christian." We're still in business with him." Ana replied." He signed a three-year contract this time..."

"Well done, Ana!" he told her, and gave her a hug." I knew you could pull it off."

"Thank you... thank you, Mr. Grey..." she jokingly said, and added. "And will you shut up now? I wanna watch the ending."

That made him chuckle aloud." OK, OK... watch your movie. I won't disturb you anymore."

He really _loved_ this side of her… she's so _cute_ sometimes.

'STOP IT! She's your _friend_, Christian!' he scolded himself and kicked himself mentally.

.

.

**_~ Some time later ~_**

_._

_._

Ana wanted to watch a second movie, so they did. But half way through it, Christian felt that she was slowly leaning onto him. At some point her head fully rested on his upper arm. He turned his head and saw that her eyes were closed. She had fallen asleep and was snoring lightly. He chuckled at that and smiled, his eyes twinkling.

She must be exhausted!

Christian then moved, so she could sleep on the couch. He carefully laid her down and walked to her bedroom to grab a blanket for her.

However, when he returned he noticed that both her feet were dangling off of the couch. He shook his head at that.

"The couch is clearly too small for her to sleep on." he whispered.

He then decided that it would be better for her to sleep in her own bed. If Ana were to sleep in that uncomfortable position for the rest of the night, her muscles would surely ache tremendously in the morning.

Christian wanted to prevent that, so without hesitation he took her gently in his arms and carried her towards her bedroom. As she peacefully slept, while lying in his arms, that oh so familiar feeling stirred inside of him. Ana was _so_ beautiful and her body felt so warm against his own.

As he laid her down on the bed, he watched his gorgeous friend. He then covered her with a blanket, because her room was a bit chilly. He didn't know why, but he decided then to stay for a while.

Just a _little_ while…

He sat on her bed and brushed a lock of hair from her face. And as he observed this kind and beautiful creature, Christian felt his heart flutter inside his chest. Why was she so remarkable? Well, he didn't have the answer to that question...

As a sigh escaped his lips, Christian's eyes landed on the blue pajamas that she was wearing at the moment. He would've never pictured her in such a cute outfit.

He was used to seeing her in pant suits, or pencil skirts, or evening dresses at office parties, but he had _never_ seen her like this. So _adorable_…

"Bunnies." he whispered, and kissed her gently on the forehead, something that felt very natural to him.

It was a simple kiss, because he cared a lot about Ana… his friend. It wasn't that complicated, right?

Well, Christian wasn't sure anymore... At one point, he shook that thought off, because he didn't want to dwell on it too much… not wanting to overthink every little thing he did. Especially when it involved Ana, that beautiful COO of his…

A buzzing sound from his pocket, brought him out of his thoughts though.

"You can pick me up right away, Taylor..." he said into the phone.

"Everything good between you and Miss Steele?" he heard Taylor ask.

"Yes, everything's fine..." he told him and hung up the phone.

Christian threw a last glance at the gorgeous creature before him and said. "Sleep peacefully, Ana..."

After that, he walked out the bedroom with a genuine smile on his face. As Christian closed the apartment door, and it automatically locked behind him, he whistled the theme song of the first movie they watched.

Christian had left a message on her coffee table though, before he left. It was a simple note, just four words. However, to him it held _so_ much promise.

'See you tomorrow, Ana...' Was what he had written on the simple note.

* * *

**Note: Thank you for reading and the awesome feedback. :)**

**Hope you like.**

**J**


End file.
